Halloween Pet Safety Tips

Halloween is a fun holiday, but can quickly turn into a nightmare for your pet.  To prevent mishaps and keep the day enjoyable for everyone, we have a few safety tips to keep in mind.

1. Keep an eye on your pet: Do not leave your pet unattended.  Unfortunately, pranksters see this as a time to cause trouble and you don't want your pet to be the victim.  Black cats in particular can be targeted, so be sure to keep them indoors just before and after Halloween.
2. Keep the candy/treats to yourself:  Keep the treats out of reach!  Halloween candy can not only cause significant digestive upset, but can be toxic as well.  Chocolate is a well-known danger, but candy and gum can also contain Xylitol which is potentially deadly if eaten. 
3. Keep pets away from lit pumpkins: Animals can be very curious and could accidentally burn themselves on a candle or inadvertently cause a fire so it is best to keep them far from the possibility.   Glow sticks, while non-toxic, can also cause vomiting or drooling if chewed open.
4. Don't put a reluctant pet in a Halloween costume: As cute as costumes are on pets, don't force an anxious animal into an outfit. If your pet is comfortable with it, go for it, but only while supervised.  Also make sure the costume allows your pet breathe, hear, see, and move freely so they don't panic or hurt themselves.
5. Keep identification on your pet: You can try your best to keep your pet indoors this Halloween, but your cat or dog may speed past a group of trick-or-treaters and quickly become lost in the dark. Be sure you've registered your pet with your city and attach up-to-date identification tags to your pet's collar.  Having your pet microchipped ahead of time is important in the event they lose their collar or tags!
6. Keep your pets away from trick-or-treaters: Pets and trick-or-treaters don't tend to mix. Costumes can scare your pets and your pets can scare some trick-or-treaters. Avoid the potential problem by keeping your pets behind a separate closed door when costumed kids come knocking.
7. Comfort counts: If you are not planning to be home for Halloween, try to create a comfortable environment for your pets.  The doorbell may still ring and other noises may agitate an anxious animal, so keeping your pet in a room away from the door with some background noise like the TV or radio can help distract them and make them feel more secure.